Early growth

The Fraser Gold Rush of 1858 brought over 25,000 men, mainly from California, to nearby New Westminster (founded February 14, 1859) on the Fraser River, on their way to the BC interior, bypassing what would become Vancouver.[23][24][25] Vancouver is among British Columbia's youngest cities;[26] the first European settlement in what is now Vancouver was not until 1862 at McLeery's Farm on the Fraser River, just east of the ancient village of Musqueam in what is now Marpole. A sawmill established at Moodyville (now the City of North Vancouver) in 1863, began the city's long relationship with logging. It was quickly followed by mills owned by Captain Edward Stamp on the south shore of the inlet. Stamp, who had begun lumbering in the Port Alberni area, first attempted to run a mill at Brockton Point, but difficult currents and reefs forced the relocation of the operation to a point near the foot of Gore Street. This mill, known as the Hastings Mill, became the nucleus around which Vancouver formed. The mill's central role in the city waned after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) in the 1880s. It nevertheless remained important to the local economy until it closed in the 1920s.[27]

The settlement which came to be called Gastown grew up quickly around the original makeshift tavern established by "Gassy" Jack Deighton in 1867 on the edge of the Hastings Mill property.[26][28] In 1870, the colonial government surveyed the settlement and laid out a townsite, renamed "Granville" in honour of the then-British Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Granville. This site, with its natural harbour, was eventually selected as the terminus for the Canadian Pacific Railway to the disappointment of Port Moody, New Westminster and Victoria, all of which had vied to be the railhead. A railway was among the inducements for British Columbia to join the Confederation in 1871, but the Pacific Scandal and arguments over the use of Chinese labour delayed construction until the 1880s.[29]

Panorama of Vancouver, 1898.

Incorporation

The City of Vancouver was incorporated on 6 April 1886, the same year that the first transcontinental train arrived. CPR president William Van Horne arrived in Port Moody to establish the CPR terminus recommended by Henry John Cambie, and gave the city its name in honour of George Vancouver.[26] The Great Vancouver Fire on 13 June 1886, razed the entire city. The Vancouver Fire Department was established that year and the city quickly rebuilt.[27] Vancouver's population grew from a settlement of 1,000 people in 1881 to over 20,000 by the turn of the century and 100,000 by 1911.[30]

Vancouver merchants outfitted prospectors bound for the Klondike Gold Rush in 1898.[23] One of those merchants, Charles Woodward, had opened the first Woodward's store at what is now Georgia and Main Streets in 1892 and, along with Spencer's and the Hudson's Bay department stores, formed the core of the city's retail sector for decades.[31]

The economy of early Vancouver was dominated by large companies such as the CPR, which provided capital for the rapid development of the new city. While some manufacturing did develop, natural resources became the basis for Vancouver's economy. The resource sector was initially based on logging and later on exports moving through the seaport, where commercial traffic constituted the largest economic sector in Vancouver by the 1930s.[32]

20th century

The dominance of the economy by big business was accompanied by an often militant labour movement. The first major sympathy strike was in 1903 when railway employees struck against the CPR for union recognition. Labour leader Frank Rogers was killed by CPR police while picketing at the docks, becoming the movement's first martyr in British Columbia.[33] The rise of industrial tensions throughout the province led to Canada's first general strike in 1918, at the Cumberland coal mines on Vancouver Island.[34] Following a lull in the 1920s, the strike wave peaked in 1935 when unemployed men flooded the city to protest conditions in the relief camps run by the military in remote areas throughout the province.[35][36] After two tense months of daily and disruptive protesting, the relief camp strikers decided to take their grievances to the federal government and embarked on the On-to-Ottawa Trek,[36] but their protest was put down by force. The workers were arrested near Mission and interned in work camps for the duration of the Depression.[37]

Amalgamation with Point Grey and South Vancouver gave the city its final contours not long before it became the third largest metropolis in the country. As of 1 January 1929, the population of the enlarged Vancouver was 228,193 and it filled the entire peninsula between the Burrard Inlet and the Fraser River.[41]

Geography

Located on the Burrard Peninsula, Vancouver lies between Burrard Inlet to the north and the Fraser River to the south. The Strait of Georgia, to the west, is shielded from the Pacific Ocean by Vancouver Island. The city has an area of 114 km2 (44 sq mi), including both flat and hilly ground, and is in the Pacific Time Zone (UTC−8) and the Pacific Maritime Ecozone.[42] Until the city's naming in 1885, "Vancouver" referred to Vancouver Island, and it remains a common misconception that the city is located on the island. The island and the city are both named after Royal Navy Captain George Vancouver, though the city of Vancouver, Washington, on the north bank of the Columbia River opposite Portland, Oregon, is only indirectly named for Captain Vancouver; that city’s name was adapted from Fort Vancouver, which had been the headquarters of the Columbia District of the Hudson's Bay Company and the largest settlement in the Pacific Northwest until the Oregon Treaty of 1846.

Stanley Park with the downtown buildings in the background

Vancouver has one of the largest urban parks in North America, Stanley Park, which covers 404.9 hectares (1001 acres).[43] The North Shore Mountains dominate the cityscape, and on a clear day scenic vistas include the snow-capped volcano Mount Baker in the state of Washington to the southeast, Vancouver Island across the Strait of Georgia to the west and southwest, and the Bowen Island to the northwest.[44]

Ecology

Windmill palms are an indicator of the city's temperate climate in comparison to the rest of Canada. These are shown near English Bay.

Many plants and trees growing throughout Vancouver and the Lower Mainland were imported from other parts of the continent and from points across the Pacific. Various species of palm trees grow in the city, as do large numbers of other exotic trees such as the monkey puzzle tree, the Japanese Maple, and various flowering exotics, such as magnolias, azaleas, and rhododendrons. Some rhododendrons have grown to immense sizes, as have other species imported from harsher climates in Eastern Canada or Europe. The native Douglas Maple can also attain a tremendous size. Many of the city's streets are lined with flowering varieties of Japanese cherry trees donated from the 1930s onward by the government of Japan. These flower for several weeks in early spring each year. Other streets are lined with flowering chestnut, horse chestnut and other decorative shade trees.[48]

Climate

Vancouver's climate is temperate by Canadian standards and is usually classified as Oceanic or Marine west coast (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The summer months are typically dry, often resulting in moderate drought conditions, usually in July and August. In contrast, the rest of the year is rainy, especially between October and March.

Annual precipitation as measured at Vancouver Airport in Richmond averages 1,199 millimetres (47.2 in), though this varies dramatically throughout the metro area due to the topography and is considerably higher in the downtown area. In winter, a majority of days (again at Vancouver Airport) receive measurable precipitation. Summer months are drier and sunnier with moderate temperatures, tempered by sea breezes. The daily maximum averages 22 °C (72 °F) in July and August, with highs occasionally reaching 30 °C (86 °F).[49] The highest temperature ever recorded was 34.4 °C (93.9 °F) on 30 July 2009.[50][51] On average, snow falls on eleven days per year, with three days receiving 6 centimetres (2.4 in) or more. Average yearly snowfall is 48.2 centimetres (19.0 in) but typically does not remain on the ground for long.[52] Winters in Greater Vancouver are the fourth mildest of Canadian cities after nearby Victoria, Nanaimo and Duncan, all on Vancouver Island.[53] Vancouver has daily minimum temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F) for an average of 46 days per year and below −10 °C (14.0 °F) on two days per year. On average, 4.5 days a year have temperatures staying below freezing.

Cityscape

Urban planning

At 5,335 people per km2 (13,817.6 people per mi2) in 2006, Vancouver is the third most densely populated large city in North America after New York City and San Francisco.[citation needed] Urban planning in Vancouver is characterized by high-rise residential and mixed-use development in urban centres, as an alternative to sprawl.[54] This has been credited in contributing to the city's high rankings in livability.

This approach originated in the late 1950s, when city planners began to encourage the building of high-rise residential towers in Vancouver's West End,[55] subject to strict requirements for setbacks and open space to protect sight lines and preserve green space. The success of these dense but livable neighbourhoods led to the redevelopment of urban industrial sites, such as North False Creek and Coal Harbour, beginning in the mid-1980s. The result is a compact urban core that has gained international recognition for its "high amenity and 'livable' development."[56] More recently, the city has been debating "ecodensity"—ways in which "density, design, and land use can contribute to environmental sustainability, affordability, and livability."[57]

A high resolution panorama of Vancouver with the mountains behind, looking roughly north from the vicinity of Broadway and Oak Street. The bridge on the left of the image is the Granville Street Bridge.

The original BC Hydro headquarters building at Nelson and Burrard Streets is a modernist high-rise, now converted into the Electra condominiums. Also notable is the "concrete waffle" of the MacMillan-Bloedel building on the north-east corner of the Georgia and Thurlow intersection. A prominent addition to the city's landscape is the giant tent-frame Canada Place, the former Canada Pavilion from the 1986 World Exposition, which includes part of the Convention Centre, a Cruise Ship Terminal and the Pan-Pacific Hotel. Two modern buildings that define the southern skyline are the city hall and the Centennial Pavilion of Vancouver Hospital, both designed by Townley and Matheson in 1936 and 1958 respectively.[58][59]

A collection of Edwardian buildings in the city's old downtown core were, in their day, the tallest commercial buildings in the British Empire. These were, in succession, the Carter-Cotton Building (former home of the Vancouver Province newspaper), the Dominion Building (1907) and the Sun Tower (1911), the former two at Cambie and Hastings Streets and the latter at Beatty and Pender Streets. Another notable Edwardian building in the city is the Vancouver Art Gallery building, designed by Francis Rattenbury, who also designed the provincial Legislature and the highly decorated original Hotel Vancouver, which was torn down after WWII due to the completion of the new Hotel Vancouver a block away.[60]

Demographics

Vancouver has been called a "city of neighbourhoods," each with a distinct character and ethnic mix.[65] People of English, Scottish, and Irish origins were historically the largest ethnic groups in the city,[66] and elements of British and Irish society and culture are still visible in some areas, particularly South Granville and Kerrisdale. Germans are the next-largest European ethnic group in Vancouver and were a leading force in the city's society and economy until the rise of anti-German sentiment with the outbreak of World War I in 1914.[8] The Chinese are by far the largest visible ethnic group in the city, and Vancouver has a very diverse Chinese-speaking community, with several dialects represented, including Cantonese and Mandarin.[27][67] Neighbourhoods with distinct ethnic commercial areas include the Punjabi Market, Little Italy, Greektown, and (formerly) Japantown.

In the 1980s, an influx of immigrants from Hong Kong in anticipation of its transfer from the United Kingdom to China, combined with an increase in immigrants from mainland China and previous immigrants from Taiwan, established in Vancouver one of the highest concentrations of ethnic Chinese residents in North America.[68] This arrival of Asian immigrants continued a tradition of immigration from around the world that had established Vancouver as the second most popular destination for immigrants in Canada (after Toronto).[69] Other significant Asian ethnic groups in Vancouver are South Asian (mostly Punjabi, usually referred to as Indo-Canadian), Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian, Korean, Cambodians and Japanese. Despite increases in Latin American immigration to Vancouver in the 1980s and 90s, immigration from Latin America has been comparatively low, and African immigration has been similarly stagnant (3.6% and 3.3% of total immigrant population, respectively.)[70] In 1981, less than 7% of the population belonged to a visible minority group.[71] By 2008, this proportion had grown to 51%.[72]

Prior to the Hong Kong diaspora of the 1990s, the largest non-British ethnic groups in the city were Irish and German, followed by Scandinavian, Italian, Ukrainian and Chinese, most of the latter being descended from immigrants from Taishan (Toi Shan) in Guangdong. From the mid 1950s until the 1980s, many Portuguese immigrants came to Vancouver and the city now has the third-largest Portuguese population in Canada after Toronto and Montreal. Eastern Europeans, including Yugoslavs, Russians, Czechs, Poles and Hungarians began immigrating after the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe after World War II.[8]Greek immigration increased in the late 1960s and early 1970s during the Dictatorship of the Colonels in Greece, with most settling in the Kitsilano area. In addition to its immigration population, Vancouver has an aboriginal community of about 11,000 people.[73]

The city's scenic location makes it a major tourist destination. Visitors come for the city's gardens, Stanley Park, Queen Elizabeth Park, VanDusen and the mountains, ocean, forest and parklands surrounding the city. Each year over a million people pass through Vancouver on cruise ship vacations, often bound for Alaska.[82]

Vancouver is amongst the most least affordable cities in which to live in the nation, with the highest housing prices in Canada. Several 2006 studies rank Vancouver as having the least affordable housing in Canada, ranking 13th least affordable in the world, up from 15th in 2005.[83][84][85] The city has adopted various strategies to reduce housing costs, including cooperative housing, legalized secondary suites, increased density and smart growth. A significant number of the city's residents are affluent, a perception reinforced by the number of luxury vehicles on city streets and cost of real estate. As of mid-2007, the average two-storey home in Vancouver sells for $757,750, compared with $467,742 in Toronto and $322,853 in Calgary, the second and third most expensive cities in Canada.[86] Housing prices have dropped from a peak in 2008, with the average residential sales price for 2009 forecast to be down 9%. The decline in prices has attracted new buyers to the market, however, and prices are expected to stabilize.[87]

Since the 1990s development of high-rise condominiums in the downtown peninsula has been financed, in part, by an inflow of capital from Hong Kong immigrants due to the former colony's 1997 handover to the PRC.[citation needed] Such development has clustered in the Yaletown and Coal Harbour districts and around many of the SkyTrain stations to the east of the downtown.[82] The city's selection to co-host the 2010 Winter Olympics has also been a major influence on economic development. Concern has been expressed that Vancouver's increasing homelessness problem may be exacerbated by the Olympics because owners of single room occupancy hotels, which house many of the city's lowest income residents, have begun converting their properties in order to attract higher income residents and tourists.[88] Another significant international event held in Vancouver, the 1986 World Exposition, received over 20 million visitors and added $3.7 billion to the Canadian economy. Some still-standing Vancouver landmarks, including the SkyTrain public transit system and Canada Place, were built as part of the exposition.[89]

Government

Vancouver, unlike other British Columbia municipalities, is incorporated under the Vancouver Charter.[90] The legislation, passed in 1953, supersedes the Vancouver Incorporation Act, 1921 and grants the city more and different powers than other communities possess under BC's Municipalities Act.

Though polarized, a political consensus has emerged in Vancouver around a number of issues. Protection of urban parks, a focus on the development of rapid transit as opposed to a freeway system, a harm reduction approach to illegal drug use, and a general concern about community-based development are examples of policies that have come to have broad support across the political spectrum in Vancouver.

In the 2008 Municipal Election campaign, NPA incumbent mayor Sam Sullivan was ousted as mayoral candidate by the party in a close vote, which instated Peter Ladner as the new mayoral candidate for the NPA. Gregor Robertson, a former MLA for Vancouver-Fairview and head of Happy Planet, was the mayoral candidate for Vision Vancouver, the other main contender. Vision Vancouver candidate Gregor Robertson defeated Ladner by a considerable margin, nearing 20,000 votes. The balance of power was significantly shifted to Vision Vancouver, which held 7 of the 10 spots for councillor. Of the remaining three, COPE received 2 and the NPA 1. For park commissioner, 4 spots went to Vision Vancouver, 1 to the Green Party, 1 to COPE, and 1 to NPA. For school trustee, there were 4 Vision Vancouver seats, 3 COPE seats, and 2 NPA seats.[92]

Although it is illegal, Vancouver police generally do not arrest people for possessing small amounts of marijuana.[102] In 2000 the Vancouver Police Department established a specialized drug squad, "Growbusters," to carry out an aggressive campaign against the city's estimated 4,000 hydroponic marijuana growing operations (or grow-ops) in residential areas.[103] As with other law enforcement campaigns targeting marijuana this initiative has been sharply criticized.[104]

As of 2008, Vancouver had the seventh highest crime rate, dropping 3 spots since 2005, among Canada's 27 census metropolitan areas.[105] However, as with other Canadian cities, the over-all crime rate has been falling "dramatically."[106] Vancouver's property crime rate is particularly high, ranking among the highest for major North American cities.[107] But even property crime dropped 10.5% between 2004 and 2005, according to the Vancouver Police.[97] Metro Vancouver has the highest rate of gun-related violent crime of any major metropolitan region in Canada, according to a 2006 Statistics Canada study. There were 45.3 violent offences involving guns for every 100,000 people in Metro Vancouver, slightly higher than the Toronto CMA at 40.4 but far above the national average of 27.5.[108] A series of gang-related incidents in early 2009 escalated into what police have dubbed a gang war. Vancouver plays host to special events such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference, the Clinton-Yeltsin Summit or the Symphony of Fire fireworks show that require significant policing. The 1994 Stanley Cup riot overwhelmed police and injured as many as 200 people.[109]

International students and ESL students have been significant in the enrollment of these public and private institutions. The Vancouver School Board reported for its 2008/2009 year that 53% of its students spoke a language other than English at home.[115]

The Vancouver International Film Festival, which runs for two weeks each September, shows over 350 films and is one of the larger film festivals in North America. The associated Vancity Theatre runs independent non-commercial films throughout the rest of the year, as do the Pacific Cinematheque, the Festival Cinemas theatres, and the Hollywood and Rio theatres.

Music

Musical contributions from Vancouver include performers of classical, folk and popular music. The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is the professional orchestra based in the city. The Vancouver Opera is a major opera company in the city.

Vancouver's Chinese population has produced several Cantopop stars. Similarly, various Indo-Canadian artists and actors have a profile in Bollywood or other aspects of India's entertainment industry.

Nightlife

For many years, nightlife in Vancouver had been somewhat restricted by early closing times for bars and night clubs, and a reluctance by authorities to allow for further development. Since 2003, however, the City of Vancouver has experimented with later closing hours and relaxed regulations, and an effort has been made to develop the Downtown core further as an entertainment district, especially on and around Granville Street.[126]

Quality and cost of living

Vancouver has been ranked one of the most livable cities in the world for more than a decade.[14] In contrast, according to Forbes, Vancouver had the 6th most overpriced real estate market in the world and was second highest in North America after Los Angeles in 2007.[127] Vancouver has also been ranked Canada's second most expensive city to live in after Toronto and the 89th most expensive globally.[128] In the same year, Vancouver was ranked as the 10th cleanest city in the world by Forbes.[129]

A wide mix of local, national, and international newspapers are distributed in the city. The two major English-language daily newspapers are The Vancouver Sun and The Province. Also, two national newspapers distributed in the city are The Globe and Mail, which began publication of a "national edition" in B.C. in 1983 and recently expanded to include a three-page B.C. news section, and the National Post which centres around national news. Other local newspapers include 24H (a local free daily), the Vancouver franchise of the national free daily Metro, the twice-a-week Vancouver Courier, and the independent newspaper The Georgia Straight. Three Chinese language daily newspapers, Ming Pao, Sing Tao and World Journal cater to the city's large Cantonese and Mandarin speaking population. A number of other local and international papers serve other multicultural groups in the Lower Mainland.

Media dominance is a frequently discussed issue in Vancouver as newspapers, The Vancouver Sun, The Province, the Vancouver Courier and other local newspapers such as the Surrey Now, the Burnaby Now and the Richmond News, and for television, Global BC, are all owned by Canwest.[136] The concentration single owned corporate media has spurred alternatives, making Vancouver a centre for independent online media including The Tyee and NowPublic.[137]

Transportation

Vancouver's streetcar system began on 28 June 1890 and ran from the (first) Granville Street Bridge to Westminster Avenue (now Main Street and Kingsway). Less than a year later, the Westminster and Vancouver Tramway Company began operating Canada's first interurban line between the two cities and beyond to Chilliwack, with another line, the Lulu Island Railroad, from the Granville Street Bridge to Steveston via Kerrisdale, which encouraged residential neighbourhoods outside the central core to develop.[138] The British Columbia Electric Railway became the company that operated the urban and interurban rail system, until 1958 when its last vestiges were dismantled in favour of "trackless" trolley and gasoline/diesel buses.[139] Vancouver currently has the second largest trolley bus fleet in North America after San Francisco.

Vancouver's SkyTrain in the Grandview Cut, with downtown Vancouver in the background. The dome-like structure is BC Place Stadium

Successive city councils in the 1970s and 1980s prohibited the construction of freeways as part of a long term plan.[140] As a result, the only major freeway within city limits is Highway 1, which passes through the north-eastern corner of the city. While the number of cars in Vancouver proper has been steadily rising with population growth, the rate of car ownership and the average distance driven by daily commuters have fallen since the early 1990s.[141][142] Vancouver is the only major Canadian city with these trends. Despite the fact that the journey time per vehicle has increased by one third and growing traffic mass, there are 7% fewer cars making trips into the downtown core.[141] Residents have been more inclined to live in areas closer to their interests, or use more energy-efficient means of travel, such as mass transit and cycling. This is, in part, the result of a push by city planners for a solution to traffic problems and pro-environment campaigns. Transportation demand management policies have imposed restrictions on drivers making it more difficult and expensive to commute while introducing more benefits for non-drivers.[141]

Other modes of transport add to the diversity of options available in Vancouver. Inter-city passenger rail service is operated from Pacific Central Station by VIA Rail to points east; Amtrak Cascades to Seattle; and Rocky Mountaineer rail tour routes. Small passenger ferries operating in False Creek provide commuter service to Granville Island, Downtown Vancouver and Kitsilano. Vancouver has a city-wide network of bicycle lanes and routes, which supports an active population of cyclists year-round. Cycling has become Vancouver's fastest growing mode of transportation.[144]

Sports and recreation

The mild climate of the city and close proximity to ocean, mountains, rivers and lakes make the area a popular destination for outdoor recreation. Vancouver has over 1,298 hectares (3,200 acres) of parks, of which, Stanley Park, at 404 hectares (1,000 acres), is the largest.[148] The city has several large beaches, many adjacent to one another, extending from the shoreline of Stanley Park around False Creek to the south side of English Bay, from Kitsilano to the University Endowment Lands, (which also has beaches that are not part of the city proper). The 18 kilometres (11 miles) of beaches include Second and Third Beaches in Stanley Park, English Bay (First Beach), Sunset, Kitsilano Beach, Jericho, Locarno, Spanish Banks, Spanish Banks Extension and Spanish Banks West. There is also a freshwater beach at Trout Lake. The coastline provides for many types of water sport, and the city is a popular destination for boating enthusiasts.[149]

Affiliated cities and municipalities

The City of Vancouver was one of the first cities in Canada to enter into an international sister cities arrangement.[155] Special arrangements for cultural, social and economic benefits have been created with these sister cities.[44][156]

There are 21 municipalities in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD). While each of these has a separate municipal government, the GVRD oversees common services within the metropolitan area such as water, sewage, transportation, and regional parks.

From Wikiquote

Contents

Sourced

Without question it may be said of Vancouver that her position,
geographically, is Imperial to a degree, that her possibilities are
enormous, and that with but a feeble stretch of the imagination
those possibilities might wisely be deemed certainties.

A. N. Homer, The Imperial Highway (1912), p. 84.

Unsourced

By
Canadians

To know that this Olympic flag will be flying over Vancouver,
over city hall, is truly, truly wonderful.

Towers and mountains - looking at the Vancouver skyline from Cambie
St.

Vancouver[1] is the largest
metropolitan area in Western Canada, and third largest in Canada, with a
population of 2.6 million. Located at the southwestern corner of
the coastal province of British Columbia, it is well known for
its majestic natural beauty, as it is nestled between the Coast
Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. It is frequently ranked as
one of the "best cities to live in" and is certainly a beautiful
destination to visit.

Districts

Vancouverites broadly split their city into three: the Westside,
the Eastside (or East Van) and downtown. This split is simply
geography -- everything west of Ontario St is the Westside,
everything east is East Van and everything north of False Creek is
downtown. Each of these areas have their own attractions and
neighbourhoods, so time permitting, explore as many as you can.

Vancouver District and Road map.

Downtown (Central Business
District-Yaletown, Stanley Park and the West End, Gastown-Chinatown)
The downtown peninsula that holds many of the city's attractions,
restaurants and high-end hotels. It is home to beautiful
architecture, fine dining and world class shopping. It includes the
West End, Coal Harbour, Yaletown, Gastown, Chinatown and Stanley
Park. It is also home to four beaches - Sunset Beach, English Bay
(First Beach), Second Beach, and Third Beach.

East Van (Commerical Drive, South Main, Punjabi
Market)
A large, mostly residential area of the city. Commercial Drive has
many ethnic restaurants; Main Street is an up and coming artsy part
of the city filled with unique shops.

This list covers only the city itself. For its many suburbs, see
Lower
Mainland.

Understand

While Vancouver is a comparatively young city, at just over 100
years, its history begins long before. The Coast Salish indigenous
peoples (First Nations) have lived in the area for at least 6000
years, and Vancouver's namesake Captain George Vancouver sailed
through the First Narrows in 1792. The first settlement on the
downtown peninsula was Granville, located on the spot of
today's Gastown. In the year of Canada's confederation a saloon was built on
this site and gave birth to a small shantytown of bars and stores
adjacent to the original mill on the south shore of what is now the
city's harbour. A seemingly endless supply of high quality lumber
was logged and sold through the ports of Gastown and Moodyville,
across the inlet. Some of the trees were gigantic beams which were
shipped to China to construct Beijing's Imperial
Palace, and one account maintains that the world's windjammer
fleets could not have been built without the trees of Burrard
Inlet.

Captain George Vancouver's statue.

Vancouver proper was signed into existence in 1886. The first
City Hall was little more than a hand painted sign nailed to a
wooden tent post. The arrival of the transcontinental railway a few
years later spurred growth even more and by 1892 the area had over
20,000 residents; eighteen years later this figure was over
100,000.

Factor in constant growth every year since (many in the double
digits), and Greater Vancouver today is Canada's largest
metropolitan area west of Toronto by far with more than 2,600,000
residents, more than half of British Columbia's population as a
whole. It is also the fastest growing part of Canada. Greater
Vancouver is one of the most ethnically diverse metropolitan areas
in the world and is home to the second largest Chinatown in North
America after San
Francisco.

The city truly arrived in 1986 when Vancouver "hosted the world"
with the Expo 86 World Fair. Media attention from around the world
was consistently positive, and many considered it the most
successful World's Fair since Montreal's. Vancouver has been
awarded the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and this event will no doubt
cast Vancouver into the world spotlight once again. It will be the
second largest city ever to host the winter games, and
interestingly, the only city at sea level to host them. The only
worry being that February is the rainiest month of the year in
Vancouver.

Vancouver is perhaps best known for its scenic beauty, and the
opportunities afforded by its natural environment. Vancouver is one
of those rare places where you could theoretically ski in the
mountains, windsurf in the ocean, and play a round of golf all in
the same day. Surrounded by water on three sides, and crowned by
the North Shore mountains, Vancouver is a great destination in
itself, as well a great starting point for discovering the area's
many outdoor activities.

Vancouver is a major sea port on the Pacific Ocean, and a base
for many Alaska Cruise
Ships in the summer. It has the same name as another city in
the region, Vancouver, Washington (USA).

With the exception of Victoria, Vancouver has the mildest
climate of any major city in Canada; even palm trees can grow here.
It rains a lot in Vancouver, especially during the winters, but
during the summer months Vancouver gets less rain than most other
Canadian cities. During the winter months it can go weeks without
seeing the sun or a dry day, but the temperature rarely goes below
freezing. Heavy snowfalls are an unusual sight and often lead to
major traffic congestion.. The weather in Vancouver is similar to
the southern UK, and while weather is similar to Seattle's, Vancouver frequently enjoys somewhat
better weather overall. In the early summer the days often start
out cloudy, due to marine air, but becomes clear by noon. Contrary
to Vancouver's wet reputation, during the summer it is actually the
second driest major Canadian city (after Victoria). Summer temperatures are not
extreme, the typical day time high between June and August is
around 25°C (77°F).

Cherry blossoms in the University of British Columbia.

There is one word to describe Vancouver's weather:
unpredictable. The weather can be completely different depending on
what part of the city you are in. It can be pouring rain on the North Shore and sunny in
White Rock.

If you are visiting the city between July and October, you will
most likely have excellent weather. The rainy season often starts
in the middle of October. Without warning, one day it will be nice
and sunny and the next the rain will begin and continue, seemingly
continuously, until early March. If you are coming to the city for
a ski holiday, the best time to visit is February; the region has a
great record for excellent ski conditions during this month, once
you get to altitudes above the constant rain.

Visitor Information

If you want information to plan your visit, contact
Tourism Vancouver[2]. In town, further
information can be obtained at local visitor information
centers.

Get in

By plane

Vancouver International
Airport

Vancouver International Airport[3], or YVR as
locals sometimes refer to it, is located immediately south of the
city of Vancouver. It serves as the hub airport for Western Canada
with frequent flights to other points in British
Columbia, major cities across Canada and the U.S., Asia and several to Europe . The majority of Canadian flights are
with Star Alliance member Air Canada [4] and WestJet [5]. U.S. destinations are
served by United Airlines, Alaska Airways, Continental Airlines, US
Airways, Delta Airlines, Air Canada, and WestJet. International
flights are serviced by Air Canada, KLM, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific,
British Airways, Singapore Airlines (until 25 Apr), Korean Air,
Philipine Airlines, and Air New Zealand to name a few.

YVR, Vancouver International Airport

YVR's three terminals are: Domestic for jet
flights within Canada, International for flights
outside of Canada and South, which is the base for
prop, small jet, and seaplane service to 'local' communities in
B.C. and Yukon. The domestic and international terminals are
connected and you can easily walk back and forth between them. The
South Terminal is not attached and requires separate transportation
to get to it.

The International Terminal has two boarding
areas -- Transborder and International. The transborder area (Gate
D) services all U.S. bound flights and has U.S. customs onsite.
Travellers leaving Canada to fly into the U.S. must clear customs
before you board the plane, so give yourself some extra
time to check-in when you leave Vancouver for U.S. destinations.
[Note: In the summer season when the Alaska cruises are
operating to Vancouver, the afternoon flights are filled with
Alaskan cruisers disembarking at Vancouver; give yourself even more
extra time to get through the long customs line.] The
remainder of the international terminal (Gate E) has all other
customs and immigration services, and has a sophisticated layout
complete with native scapes of the B.C. terrain and sights.
Construction is currently taking place to expand the international
terminal and refurbishing and expanding the domestic terminal.

There is a range of restaurants, services and
shops if you are hungry or want to kill some time before
or after a flight. The airport has a policy of “street pricing”,
obliging retailers and restaurants to sell at the same prices in
the airport as in the city to avoid customer gouging. Typical
fast-food restaurants are located before the security check-ins in
the departure areas. For a nice meal, a Milestone's restaurant is
located in the domestic terminal just outside the security
check-in. In the international terminal, the upscale Fairmont Hotel
has a nice view and some reasonably priced choices on their menu.
Duty-free purchases may be made both before and
after you clear customs in the airport, up to your personal
exemption limit. ABM machines are scattered
throughout the terminals. Currency exchange
counters are located on both sides of security in the international
terminal.

There are a number of ways to get into town from the airport.
Prices and directions below are for getting into downtown Vancouver.

SkyTrain - The Canada Line[6] provides the only direct
rapid transit public service downtown, in 25 minutes. The fare from
YVR is currently $3.75. Starting 18 Jan 2010, transit tickets
purchased from vending machines at the airport will include a $5
surcharge (the "YVR AddFare"), so the cost will be $8.75. For
further info on Vancouver's public transit system, see Get around below.

Taxi - Taxis line up just outside the baggage
claim areas. A taxi ride into town will cost about $25-30 and
should take under half an hour. All taxis that serve the airport
are required to accept credit cards.

Limousines - Limojet Gold [7] offers comfortable sedan
and limousine options for getting into town. Rides into the city
center cost $40-55 depending on where you are going and whether you
are in a sedan or limo.

Floatplane and heliport

There are floatplane facilities located both in the Coal Harbour
area of downtown Vancouver (IATA: CXH) and at
Vancouver International's South Terminal. Floatplanes operated by
Harbour Air, Baxter Aviation, Salt Spring Air and West Coast Air [8] fly frequently from
downtown Vancouver and/or YVR to Victoria's Inner Harbour,
Vancouver
Island, the scenic Gulf Islands, Seattle and other local destinations. Some
float plane operators also offer spectacular tours of the central
city and nearby attractions starting at about $80-100 per person...
a great way to see a panoramic view of downtown. A quick search of
Google will bring up websites for most of these float plane
operators.

Finally, Helijet [9]
operates helicopter service from the downtown heliport next to
Waterfront Station, providing quick and convenient connections to
Victoria and YVR.

Abbotsford International
Airport

Abbotsford International Airport[10] (IATA: YXX), located
about 80 km (50 mi) east of Vancouver in Abbotsford, is Vancouver's alternate
airport. It handles mostly domestic flights and, with an arranged
ride, you can be in and out of this airport in under 10 min (with
no checked in baggage).

The best way to reach Vancouver from Abbotsford Airport is by
car -- take the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) west. The drive will
take 1-1.5 hours, depending on traffic. There is no public transit
link between this airport and Vancouver, so if you don't have
access to a car, it is highly recommended that you fly into YVR
instead. Car rentals are available at the airport.

Seattle-Tacoma International
Airport

Flying in and out of Seattle, most notably for US destinations, and
then using the bus for travel to and from Vancouver city is an
often less expensive option than buying a direct flight from YVR or
YXX due to tariffs and "other" reasons. A U.S. visa may be required
and could take some time to procure. For budget travellers, you may
wish to consider checking flights to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The bus
or train ride takes about 5 hr one way and driving time is
approximately 2.5-3 hr. Allow extra time to clear customs at the
border.

By car

The main highway into Vancouver from the east is Highway
#1 (the Trans-Canada Highway). This road skirts the
eastern edge of Vancouver, so if you want to get into the city, you
will need to exit off it at Grandview Highway, First Avenue or
Hastings Street.

From the U.S./Canada border south of the city,
Highway 99 (the Canadian extension of U.S.
Interstate 5) runs north to Vancouver. Note that the freeway ends
after the Oak Street Bridge, turning into Oak Street heading north.
Drivers with a downtown destination will need to get onto Granville
Street (parallel to Oak St to the west) in order to get on the
Granville Street Bridge which crosses False Creek into the downtown
peninsula.

If you are coming from the North Shore or other
points further north, the only way into Vancouver is by bridge.
Your options are the Lion's Gate Bridge (Hwy 99)
which brings you into Stanley Park and Vancouver's West End
or the Second Narrows Bridge/Ironworkers Memorial
Bridge (Hwy 1) which brings you into the neighbourhoods of
East
Van.

By bus

Vancouver is well served by bus service. There are a number of
different bus lines providing service to various cities near and
far. Here are a couple of examples:

Quick Coach[12] connects Vancouver with
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Washington.

Pacific Coach Lines[13] connects Vancouver with
Victoria. Scheduled service follows the BC Ferry service from
Tsawwassen to Victoria (Swartz Bay). This is hourly in the summer
months, and every two hours in the off-season.

By train

Taking the train to Vancouver is unlikely to be the cheapest
option, but it is a scenic one. Rail options include:

VIA Rail[14] has
the Canadian which runs from Toronto to Vancouver with three weekly
departures.

The Rocky Mountaineer[15] operates routes
between Vancouver and Banff, Calgary and Jasper three times a week from April to
October.

Amtrak[16]
runs a service between Seattle and Vancouver called Amtrak
Cascades[17]. Trains depart
Seattle daily at 7:40AM and 6:40PM, arriving in Vancouver at
11:35AM and 10:45PM respectively. The return trips leave Vancouver
at 6:40AM and 5:45PM.

All trains arrive at Pacific Central Station,
located at 1150 Station Street (east of downtown off Main St). From
there, it is a short taxi ride into the central business area, or you
can pick up the SkyTrain at the Main St/Science World station two
blocks away.

If you have the time and money, travelling to Vancouver by train
can be an excellent way to see the Canadian Rockies. This is discussed
further at the Rocky Mountaineer.

By boat

There are two ferry terminals serviced by BC
Ferries[18] in the area, although
neither is within the city of Vancouver itself.

Both terminals are far enough from the city core that you will
need to travel by car, taxi or bus to get into town from them (and
vice-versa). In terms of bus transportation, the various coach
services are recommended over public transit. Public buses to and
from the ferry terminals are fairly easy and direct. From Vancouver
downtown, you take Canada Line (Skytrain) from downtown to
Brighouse Station. From Brighouse Station, take the 620 bus which
takes you directly to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal.

A cruise ship passing through Lion's Gate Bridge.

Port Metro Vancouver
[19] is the homeport for the popular Vancouver-Alaska cruise.
From May-Sep, more than 3/4 million visitors pass through the two
cruise ship terminals in Port Metro Vancouver. Check with your
cruise line as to which terminal your ship is using, especially if
you are embarking at Vancouver.

Canada Place Terminal, located on the
waterfront and a few minutes' walk to the heart of downtown
Vancouver or Waterfront Station, is the primary cruise ship
terminal. Canada Place was built originally for Expo86 and is
recognized by its dramatic rooftop that looks like five white
sails. A full range of ground transportation, excellent hotels,
shopping, dining, entertainment, and attractions is available at
Canada Place.

Ballantyne Pier Terminal, located on the
waterfront 2 km east of Canada Place, is the secondary cruise ship
terminal and accessible by a 15-min taxi ($12) to/from downtown or
by a shuttle provided by some of the downtown hotels or some of the
cruise lines. Travellers to Ballantyne have access to Ballantyne
Cruise Terminal via Clark Drive or McGill St Overpass only. There
is no access to travellers via Victoria Dr and Heatley Ave. There
is no public transportation and no rental car kiosks at
Ballantyne.

US passport holders may be able to participate
in "Onboard Check-in” and “US Direct" to streamline processing at
the cruise ship and the airport. US Direct allows
passengers arriving at Vancouver Airport (YVR) to transfer directly
to a same-day-departing cruise ship by participating in expedited
immigration and customs clearance process. Onboard
Check-in allows passengers arriving on a cruise ship and
flying out of YVR on the same day to transfer directly to YVR by
participating in an expedited immigration and customs clearance
process.

These programs do not apply to passengers who are planning a
pre- or post-cruise stay in Vancouver. Not all cruise lines
participate, so check with your cruise line to see if you can take
advantage of the Onboard Check-in/US Direct program.

Get around

Vancouver is one of the few major cities in North America
without a freeway leading directly into the downtown core (freeway
proposals in the 1960's and 1970's were defeated by community
opposition). As a result, development has taken a different course
than in most other major North American cities resulting in a
relatively high use of transit and cycling, a dense, walkable core
and a development model that is studied and emulated elsewhere.

Skytrain Vancouver

Vancouver's public transit is run by the regional transportation
authority, TransLink[20] as an integrated system
of buses, rapid transit (SkyTrain) and passenger ferry (SeaBus) .
The transit system connects Vancouver with its neighboring
municipalities, stretching as far north as Lions Bay, south to the
U.S. border and east to Langley and Maple Ridge.

Adult fares for travel within the city of
Vancouver cost $2.50. Travel from Vancouver to nearby places like
North Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond costs a little bit
more -- $3.75-$5 -- depending on the time of day and number of
transit zones you cross. Travel on weekends and weekdays after
6:30PM is always $2.50 regardless of the destination. The ticket
you receive is valid for 1.5 hours from the time
of purchase and can be used to transfer to any bus, SkyTrain or the
SeaBus during that time. TransLink's website and customer
information line (+1 604-953-3333) both offer complete trip
planning. A regional system map is widely
available at convenience stores and on TransLink's website.

A more convenient option for the traveller may be the
Daypass, which offers unlimited travel for a
single day at the cost of $9. It is available from fare machines at
SkyTrain stations. Books of 10 prepaid tickets
(FareSaver tickets) are available at a discount from many
convenience stores. Concession fares are available
for Vancouver grade-school students and BC seniors and cost between
$1.75-$3.50. If you're a student or a senior you must be carrying a
TransLink GoCard or BC Gold CareCard to receive the reduced
concession fare. Monthly passes are also
available, which can cost $73-136, depending on how many zones they
cover.

The bus service covers the widest area and
travels along most major streets in the city. Passengers must
either buy a ticket or present their ticket immediately upon
entering a TransLink bus. Buses accept coins only and will not give
change. Tickets can also be purchased from vending machines in
SkyTrain stations that accept coins, bills, debit and credit cards.
In addition, several bus rapid transit lines named B
Lines crisscross the city.

Skytrain system map

SkyTrain is the mostly elevated rapid transit
system that connects Vancouver's downtown with some of its
southern and eastern suburbs. The Expo line runs
out through Burnaby and New Westminster
to King George station in Surrey. The
Millennium line follows the Expo line to New
Westminster and then loops back through Burnaby and into Vancouver
again ending at VCC/Clark. The new (2009) Canada
Line connects downtown with Richmond and Vancouver
Airport. Notable SkyTrain stations in Vancouver include:

Broadway/Commercial Drive - Accesses the
restaurants of Commercial Dr in East Vancouver

Waterfront Station - Meeting point of the
SkyTrain, SeaBus, numerous commuter and rapid bus routes and the
commuter rail West Coast Express. It is also at the entrance to Gastown and is right next
to the Canada Place Convention Centre/Cruise Ship Terminal
facilities.

The SeaBus is a passenger ferry that connects
Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. It
generally runs every 15 min except in the evening and on Sundays.
The exact schedule is available on TransLink's website.

Purchasing tickets for the SkyTrain and the SeaBus operates on
the honor system, with ticket checks occuring at
random, often rare times. It is not difficult to ride without
paying, especially during rush hour, but those who do so ride at
their own risk. If caught, the passenger has to pay a fine of $173.
Tickets are easily available through vending machines at SkyTrain
stations and either SeaBus terminal.

SkyTrain and SeaBus service ends before last call at night clubs
and bars, so if you'll be partying downtown, be sure you figure out
a ride home.

By ferry across False
Creek

A quick trip across on a cute little-boat-that-could ferry can
be the most fun, traffic-free, and convenient way to get between
various points on False Creek:

Maritime Museum in Vanier Park on the south shore,

Aquatic Centre at Sunset Beach on the north shore,

Hornby St on the north shore,

Granville Island and its famous Public Market on the south
shore,

Yaletown/Davie St. on the north shore,

Stamp's Landing/Monk's and Spyglass Place on the south
shore,

Plaza of Nations and Edgewater Casino on the north shore,
and

Science World, the geodesic dome at the east end of False
Creek.

Service is offered by Granville Island Ferries [21]
with little blue boats and by Aquabus [22] with little rainbow
boats. The two ferries run slightly different routes, and their
docks on Granville Island are on either side of the Public Market.
Current prices for adults start at $3 for short routes to $6 for
long routes.

By car

Vancouver's road network is generally a grid
system with a "Street" running north-south and an "Avenue" running
east-west. Arterial roads follow the grid fairly well (although not
perfectly), but side streets frequently disappear for blocks at a
time and then reappear. Most of the "Avenues" are numbered and they
always use East or West to designate whether it is on the East side
or the West side of Ontario Street. Some of the major avenues use
names rather than numbers (Broadway would be 9th Ave, King Edward
Ave would be 25th Ave).

Downtown Vancouver has its own grid system and doesn't follow
the street/avenue format of the rest of the city. It is also
surrounded by water on three sides, so most of the ways in and out
require you to cross a bridge. This can cause traffic congestion,
particularly at peak times (morning and evening commutes, sunny
weekend afternoons, major sporting events), so factor that into any
driving plans, or avoid if possible.

Go West... but which one?

The term "West" comes up frequently in connection with Vancouver
and can be confusing for locals and visitors alike. It can refer
to:

One of the best ways to avoid traffic congestion is to listen to
traffic reports on AM730. This station reports
only about traffic and can be quick to report any accidents and
congestion, as well as B.C. ferry reports, Langley ferry lineups,
border wait times, and other information pertaining to getting
around the city and its many suburbs.

A unique feature of Vancouver and the rest of British Columbia
is intersections with flashing green traffic signals. These do
not indicate an advance left turn as it would in many other
parts of North America. Instead, a flashing green light indicates a
traffic signal that can be activated only by a pedestrian or a
cyclist on the side street, but not by a motor vehicle. When the
signal turns red, traffic stops as at any traffic signal. Any side
street traffic must obey the stop sign on the side street and must
yield to any pedestrians crossing the side street, even if traffic
is stopped on the main street.

Parking

Parking downtown generally costs $1-2.50/hour or $12-$20/day.
Commercial areas will typically have meter parking on the street,
with meters accepting Canadian and American change only (American
coins accepted at par value). Residential streets may allow free
parking, but some will require a permit.

Easy Park[23] lots (look for an
orange circle with a big "P") rank as the most affordable of the
parkades, but generally the cost of parking will not vary greatly
among parkades within a certain area. Most will accept payment by
credit card, as well as coins. Beware of scammers hanging around in
some parkades, trying to sell parking tickets for less than their
face value — typically, they have purchased the tickets with stolen
credit cards. Also be careful parking overnight, as vehicle
break-ins are not uncommon.

City meters and parking regulations are enforced regularly.
Meter-related offenses will result in fines. Violations in private
lots are generally unenforceable, but may result in your car being
towed. If your vehicle is towed on a city street, you can recover
it at the city impound lot at 1410 Granville St (under the
Granville St bridge).

By bicycle

The city of Vancouver is a very bicycle-friendly city. In
addition to the extremely popular seawall bicycle routes along
Stanley Park, False Creek and Kitsilano, there are a whole network
of bicycle routes that connect the whole city. The City of
Vancouver provides a map of the bicycle routes that is available at
most bike shops or online. Also, all buses have bicycle racks on
the front to help riders get to less accessible parts. North
American visitors will find that, drivers in Vancouver are well
accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists.

Bicycles are available to rent by the hour, day or week. Many
places also rent tandem bikes. Some bicycle rental locations:

Alternatively, buy a used bicycle and either sell it on or
donate it to someone in more need of it at the end of your stay.
There are a number of 2nd owner bicycle stores on Dunbar and the
surrounding area, including the famous Cheapskates.

Cheapskates, 3228 Dunbar St, +1
604-734-1191.

Our Community Bikes, 3283 Main St. +1
604-879-2453 (email:info@pedalpower.org), [30].

Hosted Bicycle Tours are available from a number of suppliers.
These tours are educational and cover many of the interesting areas
and attractions of Vancouver.

See

While Vancouver is still a young city, it has a variety of
attractions and points of interest for the visitor. Many of the
city's landmarks and historical buildings can be
found downtown. Canada Place, with its distinctive sails, the
Vancouver Convention Center located just beside it, the intricate
Art Deco styling of the Marine Building and the old luxury railway
hotel of the Hotel Vancouver are in the central business district.
Stanley Park (the city's most popular attraction), along with its
neighboring Coal Harbour walkway and the Vancouver Aquarium are in
the West
End and Gastown, the original town
site of Vancouver, has a number of restored buildings and its steam
clock is a popular spot to visit. Modern architecture worth
visiting also includes Shangri-La, currently the tallest building
in the city, and the Sheraton Wall Center. Another popular city
landmark, the bustling markets and shops of Granville Island, is
just to the south of downtown in South Granville.

If you're looking to learn a little about the people of the
Northwest Coast and some of its history, one good spot is the
impressive Museum of Anthropology at the University
of British Columbia, which houses several thousand objects from
BC's First Nations. The museum is also home to significant
collections of archaeological objects and ethnographic materials
from other parts of the world. The Vancouver Art
Gallery, located downtown combines local with
international through a variety of exhibitions and a permanent
collection that focuses on renowned British Columbia artist, Emily
Carr. The Vancouver Public Library, located
downtown at Homer and Robson Sts, is modeled after the Roman
Colosseum, and houses the city's largest library. Another downtown
sight is the small Contemporary Art Gallery on
Nelson Street, which features modern art. Also located nearby, just
south of Chinatown is the shiny
geodesic dome of the Telus World of Science
(commonly known as Science World), which has a number of exhibits,
shows and galleries aimed at making science fun for kids. There are
also some smaller sights in Kitsilano, including the Vancouver
Maritime Museum, Museum of Vancouver, and H.R. Macmillan Space
Centre.

The city has a wealth of parks and gardens scattered throughout.
The most famous is Stanley Park at the tip of the
downtown
peninsula. Its miles of trails for walking and cycling,
beaches, magnificent views and the attractions (including totem
poles) within the park gives it something for everyone. The most
popular trail is the Seawall, a paved trail that runs around the
perimeter of Stanley Park and now joins with the seawalls in Coal
Harbour and Kitsilano, totaling 22 km in length. The
Vancouver Aquarium is located within Stanley Park.
Other notable parks and gardens include VanDusen
Botanical Garden and Queen Elizabeth Park in South
Vancouver, the Nitobe Memorial Garden (commonly known as the
Nitobe Japanese Garden) and UBC Botanical Garden at the University
of British Columbia and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese
Garden in Chinatown downtown.

Admission to Vancouver's various attractions can range from $10
to up to $30 per person. There are a variety of attractions passes
available that help visitors save on retail admissions such as the
See Vancouver Smartvisit Card and the
Vancouver Five in One Card.

Finally, a trip to Vancouver wouldn't be complete without a
glimpse of the skyline and the Coastal mountains
rising above the city (clouds permitting, of course!). Popular
spots to view it include Stanley Park and the Harbour Centre downtown, Spanish Banks and
Jericho Beaches in Kitsilano and Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver. Other
interesting views can be seen from City Hall at 12th and Cambie,
Queen Elizabeth Park and East Van's CRAB Park.

Do

Tours

If you want to orient yourself in the city, there are a variety
of tours -- bus, walking, hop-on, hop-off -- based out of the City
Center that will regale you with Vancouver lore while taking
you to many of the main attractions.

Views from the Seawall in Stanley Park

Outdoor Activities

Vancouverites love the outdoors and one of the most popular
things to do is to walk, jog, bike or rollerblade the
Seawall. It starts at Canada Place downtown, wraps around Stanley
Park and follows the shoreline of False Creek though Yaletown,
Science World and Granville Island to Kits Beach in Kitsilano. The most popular
sections are around Stanley Park and along the north shore of False
Creek. Bike and rollerblade rentals are available from a few shops
near the corner of Denman & West Georgia if you prefer wheeled
transportation over walking. If the weather's nice, go out to
Granville Island, rent a speedboat and take a boat ride on the
waters around Stanley Park and Coal Harbor. Golf courses also are
abundant in the city, along with more cost-conscious pitch-and-putt
courses.

If you'd rather lie in the sun than play in the sun, Vancouver
has a number of beaches. While certainly not
glamourous and lacking waves most days, there's sand, water and
lots of people on sunny summer days. Kitsilano has a string of beaches,
the most well known being Kitsilano Beach, Jericho and Spanish
Banks. Kits Beach is the most popular and has beach volleyball,
Spanish Banks is a bit quieter and popular with skimboarders. There
are a few beaches on the south and west sides of downtown,
with Sunset Beach (near Denman & Beach) being the largest and
most popular. Finally, no discussion of Vancouver beaches would be
complete without mention of Wreck Beach at the tip of Point Grey in
UBC.
As much rock as it is sand, it holds a place in the Vancouver
identity and is the only city beach where you can bare it all.

For many, Vancouver is synonymous with skiing and
snowboarding. While there are no ski hills within the city
itself, there are three "local" hills (Cypress, Grouse Mountain and
Seymour) across the harbour on the North Shore. And of
course, Vancouver is the gateway to Whistler, the biggest and one of the highest
rated snow destinations in North America.

Pacific Coliseum

When you tire of doing stuff outdoors, or prefer that someone
else do the hard work, you can always grab a seat and take in the
local sports teams. The biggest draw in town is
hockey (the variety played on ice, not a field)
and the local professional team is the Vancouver
Canucks. The team plays at GM Place in the City
Center and the season lasts from October to April (and possibly
longer if they make the play-offs). Tickets are pricey and the
concessions are even worse, but it's a good game to watch live. The
local junior hockey team, the Vancouver Giants, offer a cheaper but
no less exciting experience. They play out of Pacific Coliseum in
East
Van.

Hockey isn't the only game in town though. The BC
Lions, the city's Canadian Football League team (think
American football with 12 players a side, three downs, a slightly
larger field, and much larger end zones) plays during the summer
and fall at BC Place downtown. Vancouver also has a
single A baseball team, the Vancouver Canadians,
who play out of Nat Bailey Stadium in South
Vancouver. If soccer is your game, the
Vancouver Whitecaps play out of Swangard Stadium in nearby Burnaby. In 2011, the Whitecaps
will be replaced by a new Major League Soccer team, the second in
Canada. After the 2010 Winter Olympics, BC Place will be closed for
renovations, set for completion in the middle of 2011, that will
include replacing the current inflatable roof with a retractable
roof. During the project, the Lions will play at Empire Fields, a
temporary stadium currently being built on the Pacific National
Exhibition grounds in East Van. The new MLS team will begin its
inaugural 2011 season at Empire Fields as well. Both teams will
then move to the reopened BC Place; the MLS team is currently
planning to build a new stadium of its own near the waterfront, but
that project will not be complete until at least 2015.

Vancouver's Chinatown.

Vancouver isn't all about the outdoors as it offers a variety of
theatre, concerts and other cultural events. There are symphony and
opera venues downtown and much of the city's
live theater can be found in South Granville, particularly
on Granville Island with its thriving arts scene.

The city's Chinese heritage comes alive during Chinese
New Year. Chinatown, in the east side
of downtown, is awash in colour and has many festivities, including
a parade. June sees the annual Dragon Boat
Festival on False Creek.

There is no shortage of festivals around the city, with many
local ones particular to a neighbourhood. The festival that draws
the largest crowds is the HSBC Celebration of
Light[32], a four night
extravaganza of fireworks over English Bay in late July and early
August. Countries compete with 20-30 min displays choreographed to
music. The fireworks start at 10PM and are best viewed from Sunset
Beach in the West End or Kits Beach/Vanier Park
in Kitsilano. It is strongly
recommended to take public transit and to get there a few hours
early as the crowds are huge. Roads in the vicinity of English Bay
are typically closed from 6PM onwards.

Other notable festivals include the Vancouver
International Film Festival[33]
that runs in Sept-Oct; the Fringe Festival[34] that presents live
theater in a variety of styles and venues; Bard on the
Beach Shakespeare Festival[35] that runs May -
September at Vanier Park in Kitsilano; and the three day
Folk Fest[36] on the beach in Kitsilano that features a large
selection of current and upcoming folk, roots and world music acts.
Another notable event is Vancouver's annual Vancouver Pride
Parade[37],
held on 2 August, which attracts over 500,000 spectators.

Learn

There are a number of educational institutions both in Vancouver
and in the surrounding cities and suburbs. Places of study within
the city of Vancouver include:

Clock tower in the University of British Columbia.

The University of British Columbia[38], or UBC, is ranked as one of the
world's 30 best universities and is the largest university in
western Canada. More than 50,000 full time and part time students
in numerous disciplines are enrolled at the main campus in the UBC and
South Vancouver district. UBC also has a downtown campus in
Vancouver, located at Robson Square in the central business district. This
location is geared more towards adult learning, business people and
foreign students. Course calendars are readily available at Robson
Square or on UBC's website.

Simon Fraser University[39], or SFU, has its main campus on
the top of a mountain in Burnaby with spectacular views. SFU also has a
satellite campus in downtown Vancouver.

Langara College[40], located in South
Vancouver offers a number of programs in the arts, humanities,
business and technology, as well as continuing education and ESL
classes.

The Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design[41] on Granville Island offers a
number of programs focused primarily on design and the visual
arts.

The Great Northern Way Campus[42] in East Van
is a collaborative university campus environment put together with
the help of all of the major local universities, focusing on arts,
technology, and the environment.

The British Columbia Institute of Technology[43], or BCIT, a technical college
based in Burnaby, has a satellite campus in downtown
Vancouver.

Many young visitors come to Vancouver to improve their English.
The Vancouver Public Library downtown maintains a list of
ESL schools
[45] in Vancouver.

The Metropolitan of Vancouver is constantly growing on huge
scales.

Traditionally, much of Vancouver's industry has centered around
its port facilities and the forestry and mining sectors. Although
these industries are still important to the economy, Vancouver's
largest employers are now the various hospitals and educational
institutions in the area and companies with head offices in
Vancouver such as Telus Corp and the Jim Pattison Group. Recently,
Vancouver has expanded as a centre for software development and
biotechnology, while streets provide a backdrop for the developing
film industry. Many jobs exist in the varied small and medium sized
businesses that operate in the region. As with many cities, jobs
are posted on-line or in the newspaper, but it helps if you have
some contacts within the industry that can point you to the jobs
that are open but not posted.

As with any tourist center, there are a number of service jobs
available. The attractions, restaurants and hotels downtown
frequently need staff. Other areas to consider are Granville Island and the North Shore with its ski
areas and Grouse Mountain.

Buy

This is only a sample of things you can look for in
Vancouver. Visit the separate district pages for other
info.

Tip - There are two local taxes that are
charged on the vast majority of goods, the 7% PST (Provincial Sales
Tax) and the 5% GST (Goods and Services Tax). These will be
replaced with a combined HST (Harmonized Sales Tax) of 12% on July
1, 2010.

Robson Street in the City
Centre is home to many touristy shops. Although not technically
part of the street, the neighboring Alberni intersection is home to
a variety of high-end shops such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès.

Pacific Centre has more than 150 shops,
restaurants and services if you want to walk in an underground
shopping centre. The shopping centre begins at Sears on the north
end at Robson Street, and stretches all the way to Pender Street.
There are many floors in the mall depending on where you are, and
notable merchants include Holt Renfrew, Harry Rosen, Sport Chek,
GAP, H&M and Apple Store; the mall is connected to the Bay (at
Georgia and Granville streets), and Vancouver Centre (a small mall
mainly consisting of a lotto centre, London Drugs, and a food court
underneath Scotiabank).

Gastown - the original townsite of Vancouver and now the best place
to find Vancouver kitsch

Gastown[46]
is the oldest neighbourhood in Vancouver but is being reborn as a
fashion and modern urban design district. Historic buildings house
hip restaurants, galleries, and interior design and high-fashion
shops.

Yaletown is also popular for its
non-mainstream fashion boutiques and high-end salons. A few Popular
Yaletown Shopping Streets are: Mainland St., Hamilton St., and
Pacific Blvd.

Granville Island is a interesting place to go
if you fancy the arts. The area boasts a Public Market, an art
school (Emily Carr University of Art + Design), shops, restaurants,
theatres, galleries, a hotel, boat docks and more.

Main Street, south of Broadway stretching to
around 30th Avenue, has a vibrant and expanding collection of
independent restaurants, cafés, high-end niche clothing stores and
small boutiques.

East Hastings between Renfrew and Clark offers
some of the best hidden delights in the city. There are many
eclectic produce stores (Donald's Market). Sausage and salami
producers here are some of the best in the city (Moccia's Italian
Market [47]).

Chinatown around Main and Pender, and
westwards down Pender from Main, is an old historic landmark with
grocery and herbal medicine markets that mimic the ethnic flavors,
sights and sounds of Eastern Asia.

Punjabi Market around Main, between 41st and
49th Ave. Good, cheap Punjabi food along with some Punjabi fashion;
street signs are correspondingly in Punjabi.

There are some unique shopping areas in Kitsilano and East Van.
In Kits you can visit the first store of Vancouver-born and based
athletic retailer, Lululemon Athletica, sporting popular
yoga-inspired apparel [48]. Gore-tex jackets are
ubiquitous in Vancouver and the best place to buy them is at
Mountain Equipment Co-op [49],
Taiga Works [50] or one of the other
outdoorsy stores clustered together on the east-west main drag
called Broadway (equivalent to 9th Avenue, running between 8th and
10th) between Cambie St. and Main St., just east of the Kitsilano area.

Eat

Where to begin? There is something for everyone in this
cosmopolitan city, and the variety of cuisines and price points
have been described as a foodie's delight. In particular, you will
find many different kinds of Asian food available. If you fancy
sushi many places offer "all you can eat" lunches for $10, which
offers food of a wildly varying quality. In general, the city is up
there with some of the best cities in North America when it comes
to food. If you can do without alcohol, you can usually have a
pretty reasonable meal for under $10, and at one of the more
expensive restaurants in the city, $70 will get you a four course
feast with exquisite service.

The highest density of restaurants is in Kitsilano or the West End.
The central business area has many
of the high end restaurants either along Robson Street or
associated with the many hotels in the downtown area. East Van
tends to have many authentic ethnic restaurants.

Vancouver is also famous for its dim sum restaurants. Because of
the big Chinese population, the price and quality of dim sum here
is among the best in the world. One of the consistently
highly-ranked dim sum restaurants by local magazines is Sun Sui
Wah, at 3888 Main St. Also, check out Floata in Chinatown on Keefer
St, Top Cantonese Cuisine in East Vancouver on Kingsway and Earles,
or the Kirin at Cambie and 12th; reservations recommended. There
are many restaurants on Victoria around 41st Ave which offer cheap
dim sum ($2/plate), albeit with less class and more oil. In
Burnaby, try Fortune House in Metropolis Shopping Complex. The city
of Richmond, with a majority of its inhabitants being of Chinese
descent, will have a plethora to choose from. Restaurants are all
over the place on No. 3 Rd, Westminster Hwy, Alexandra Rd, and on
the many side streets just east of Richmond Centre.

For budget travellers, pick up a Georgia Straight (a free local
paper available all over the place), and clip two for one coupons
from the food section.

Restaurants in Yaletown

Be advised that although the vast majority of stores around
Vancouver accept credit cards, small family-owned Chinese
businesses and restaurants, more often than not, accept only
cash.

For coffee, there are perhaps more Starbucks
per capita in Vancouver than anywhere else. On Robson and Thurlow,
you will be able to find two Starbucks kitty-corner to one another.
Starbucks is the most dominant of the three coffee shop chains
found in Vancouver. The others, Caffe Artigiano
and Blenz, are found throughout downtown.
JJ Bean is a chain favoured among the locals and
it's a great place to spend a few minutes to a few hours nursing a
coffee and one of their ginormous muffins; there are six locations
scattered throughout the city. Bean Around the
World is a popular coffee house chain with ten locations.
For independent chains try Mario's on Dunsmuir and
Howe; they have a unique feel and a slower pace than other coffee
shops. Make sure not to miss Trees' cheesecakes
and its roasted on-site organic coffees.

Bubble tea (or boba tea) is also a popular drink among the
Vancouver youth. There are countless tea houses throughout
Vancouver, the most notable being Dragon Ball Tea House on West
King Edward Ave and Oak St.

Gastown is one of the beer drinking areas in Vancouver.

Most of the nightclubs are located in the central business district,
especially along Granville Street strip, south of Robson. There are
a number of good local pubs in the various quieter neighbourhoods
of the city, such as along Main Street or Broadway Street. Closing
times for most of these pub-like establishments begin at 1AM;
nightclubs close between 2AM-3AM with a very small number operating
after-hours. Nightclubs with music, a DJ and a dance floor usually
charge an entrance fee. Be aware that many nightclubs often have
long lineup queues on weekends, which are usually self-imposed
regardless of whether or not the establishment is near capacity to
attract business. Flexibility and willingness to go early is key
should nightlife become part of your travel plans.

Note that liquor stores at the latest close by 11PM, while many
are closed by 9PM, and there will exist no other legal options
apart from drinking at an establishment beyond this time.

Beer

Vancouver offers a number of destinations for beer drinkers. The
largest is the Granville Island Brewery on Granville Island (tours are
available). Other microbreweries are housed in brewpubs, popular
ones include the Yaletown Brewing Company and
Dix BBQ and Brewery in Yaletown and
Steamworks at the entrance to Gastown.

Sleep

In general, accommodations in Vancouver are on the expensive
side. Most hotel rooms begin at $200-250/night, and most motel
rooms cost somewhere between $90-150/night. If you are lucky to
find hostel accommodation, the cheapest of these will cost around
$20/night, more reasonably between $35-50.

The City Center is centrally located
for attractions and has the bulk of Vancouver's accommodation,
including most of the high-end hotels and backpackers hostels. If
you don't mind getting away from the chain hotels, there are a
number of smaller boutique hotels outside of the central business
district but still close to the action that are cheaper than the
four and five star options downtown.

Staying outside the City Center area may give you a wider choice
of affordable accommodations. There are a few budget hotels/motels
along Kingsway in East Van and Broadway in South Granville. A number of
B&B's are also scattered throughout the city in each district.
If you want/need to stay close to the airport, Richmond has a number of
hotels with varying degrees of luxury and price.

Finally, if you don't mind driving or commuting in to see
Vancouver, the suburbs also have some cheaper options. North Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster
all have easy access to Vancouver via the public transit system.
The closest Provincial Parks with campgrounds are near Chilliwack and Squamish.

Contact

In case of an Emergency, dial 9-1-1 from any
public phone for free. Be advised, however, that with the rise of
cell phone use, many public phones have been removed, and can
therefore be hard to come by (especially in the suburbs).

A good travel tip to remember: Dialing 1-1-2 from a cell phone
automatically connects you to the nearest cellular network and
calls the emergency number, regardless of its combination (ex.
9-1-1, 1-1-2 etc.) Please note that 1-1-2 will work only on GSM
cellphones in Vancouver. While GSM cellphones are very common
worldwide, PCS/CDMA cellular phones through Telus Mobility are more
common in Vancouver, and Telus doesn't support 1-1-2 on its
cellular network. To be safe, dial 9-1-1 for emergencies if you are
anywhere in North America.

The area codes for phone calls in Vancouver and the surrounding
area (known locally as the Lower Mainland) are 604
and 778 (these area codes overlap). Vancouver has ten-digit
calling, so when making a local call you must include the area
code. Calls outside the Greater Vancouver region (i.e.
east of Langley or north of Squamish, including to Whistler) are
toll calls from Vancouver. To call these numbers you need to add a
"1" before the area code, i.e. "1-604" or "1-778".

Local calls at pay phones costs 25 cents per call. They are not
metered, so you can talk as long as you want. Note that downtown
pay phones are often broken. Working pay phones are almost always
available at all of the downtown SkyTrain stations.

In addition, there is free internet available at Canada Place.
Bell has some free standing room stations set up in the main
concourse of the convention center. Also, the Apple Store in the
pacific mall has free wifi.

For those who have brought a laptop, free wireless points are
abundant in the downtown area (including every branch of
Blenz Coffee[51]), and reasonable paid
service is also available in a pinch.

Stay safe

Vancouver is a safe place to visit and following common sense
like keeping an eye on your possessions, knowing where you are
going and avoiding alleys and unfamiliar areas at night should keep
you out of trouble. Unless involved in illegal activities (such as
the drug trade), it is highly unlikely you will fall victim to any
sort of violent crime. If you need emergency help, dial
911.

Like any major metropolitan city, Vancouver has areas that
should be traveled with caution. The most notable is the Downtown
Eastside (specifically Hastings Street between Abbott and Gore).
This neighborhood is infamous for homelessness, drug-use and
prostitution. If you do accidentally stroll into the Downtown
Eastside it is not difficult to find your way out, but if you get
lost or feel uncomfortable the best thing to do is approach a
police officer.

It's also wise to exercise caution in the Granville Mall area
downtown on Friday and Saturday nights. As Vancouver’s bar and
nightclub district, the sheer volume of people combined with
alcohol consumption make disorderly conduct and rowdy behavior
fairly common. But this shouldn't act as a deterrent - if you're
not looking for trouble, you probably won't find it, and there is a
strong police presence.

Some parts of the city have high rates of property crime. Theft
from vehicles is especially problematic and parked cars with
foreign or out of province license plates are frequently targeted.
The best thing is to not leave any money and valuables in plain
view.

Panhandling is common in some parts of downtown, but is unlikely
to pose a problem. Avoiding eye contact is the best approach. Don't
be rude, as there may be negative consequences.

Bottled water is widely sold, but the tap water is of high
quality. You'll save a lot of money by buying a reusable water
bottle and filling it up from the tap.

Cannabis

A common belief is that marijuana is legal in British
Columbia. That is a myth. Although Vancouver's police and the
justice system tend to turn a blind eye to marijuana use, tourists
should be advised that possessing any amount of marijuana is
illegal in all of Canada without a
government-issued medical exemption (the legality of possession is,
however, currently under dispute by the Supreme Court). However if
you are caught with a small amount of cannabis in Vancouver it is
extremely unlikely that you will be charged, in the vast
majority of cases the police will simply ask you to move somewhere
out of sight to finish up, or ignore the fact altogether.

Vancouver General -- Located at the corner of
Oak St and West 12th Ave, VGH serves as the main hospital and
emergency ward for Vancouver

Children's Hospital -- If taking a child under
the age of 18 to the E.R., you will be directed to Children's
Hospital. It is located at Oak St near King Edward Avenue.

St. Paul's -- Located downtown, or in the City
Centre, St. Paul's Hospital also has an emergency ward for adults
but is smaller and therefore less equipped to handle many patients.
Every winter, St. Paul's decorates the front of the Hospital with
lights to encourage charitable donations.

Mount Saint Joseph Hospital - 3080 Prince
Edward St. The only hospital on the city's East Side with an
emergency room (8:30AM-8PM). Outside of these hours, people are
asked to go to either Vancouver General or St. Paul's for emergency
care.

UBC Urgent Care Centre -- Not quite a walk-in
clinic but not quite an emergency room, the UBC UCC has limited
hours (closed at 10PM, but is a good choice if your problem isn't
an emergency -- it is basically a faster-paced walk-in clinics with
longer hours.

There are also a number of walk-in clinics around Vancouver.
Unfortunately waits are usually around 30-45 min for an
appointment.

Get out

Nearby municipalities

There are a number of things to see and do just outside of
Vancouver's borders. Some of the most popular are listed below. All
of these places are accessible by public transit, or if you have a
car, within an hour's drive.

North Shore - Take in
the views from Grouse Mountain (a.k.a. The Peak of Vancouver), go
for a walk on a suspension bridge or enjoy one of the many outdoor
recreation opportunities -- hiking, mountain biking,
skiing/snowboarding, kayaking -- on offer. The most popular summer
activity in the area is hiking the 'Grouse Grind', a 2.9 kilometer,
853 meter elevation gain hike up the side of Grouse mountain.

West
Vancouver - A municipality north of the Lion's gate bridge,
enroute to Whistler. Home to many beaches, coves, parks and
expensive real-estate, where breath-taking views of Vancouver can
be scoped by driving its higher altitudes.

Burnaby - Shop till you
drop at Metropolis at Metrotown, the largest shopping mall in
British Columbia, or relax at one of the large regional parks.

Richmond - City with a
large Asian influence with many options for Chinese, Japanese and
Korean dining and shopping, the largest Buddhist temple in North
America and the historic seaside Steveston towards the south offers
a quieter, small-town type atmosphere.

White Rock - A 45
minute drive away from Vancouver, famous for its moderate climate
and sandy beaches.

Fort Langley -
Village with unique shops, restaurants and the site of one of the
first forts built in British Columbia.

New
Westminster - Small city on the banks of the Fraser River that
was once the capital of British Columbia.

Bowen Island
is a popular day trip or weekend excursion offering kayaking,
hiking, shops, restaurants, and more. This authentic community is
located in Howe Sound just off Vancouver, and is easily accessed
via scheduled water taxis departing Granville Island in downtown
Vancouver.

For those who enjoy outdoor activities, a trek up the Sea to Sky corridor is
essential. Squamish has
branded itself the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada" and with
an incredible amount of quality rock climbing, mountain biking,
white water rafting, hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing,
golf, walking trails and more, it certainly deserves the title.
Squamish is about half way between Vancouver and Whistler. Whistler (2 hours drive from
Vancouver) is mandatory. In the winter, enjoy some of the best
Skiing in North America, and in the summer try some authentic
mountain biking.

Another good spot for outdoor activities is Mount Baker across the
border in Washington. Driving time is about
three hours, but border line-ups can add anywhere from a few
minutes to several hours onto your trip.

The nearby Fraser Valley has a number of parks and
lakes that are nice for fishing, hiking or relaxing.

Vancouver
Island is a good spot to move on to from Vancouver. Victoria, British
Columbia's capital, is a relaxing place. Tofino is a pretty spot on the island's west
coast, good for whale and storm watching and has some of Canada's
best surf (if you can brave the cold water). The island is reached
by ferry, seaplane and bus.

The Gulf Islands are also a short ferry ride or float plane
flight away, providing a quiet and rural atmosphere of small,
coastal towns, cabins and farms.

The Okanagan is a four
to five hour drive east, with a large number of wineries, water
activities in the summer and skiing in the winter.

The scenery of Banff, Banff
National Park and the Rocky Mountains is a long
day's drive (8-9 hours) east.

To the south, the American city of Seattle is a three hour drive and Portland is a six hour drive
(excluding any border line-up).

Tours

There are a couple of hop-on, hop-off bus tours
based in Vancouver that allow you to explore Western Canada and the
Pacific Northwest on your own schedule.

The Moose Travel Network[58] runs various adventure
tourism tours covering Western Canada, including Vancouver
Island, Whistler and
the Rocky Mountains. Accommodation
is at hostels and optional adventure activities include whitewater
rafting, skydiving,
horseback riding, bungee and more. Ski tours are also offered in
the Winter.

From LoveToKnow 1911

There is more than one meaning of Vancouver discussed in the
1911 Encyclopedia. We are planning to let all links go to the
correct meaning directly, but for now you will have to search it
out from the list below by yourself. If you want to change the link
that led you here yourself, it would be appreciated.

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents

English

Etymology

The family name is from the Dutch place name
Coevorden ("the place where cows ford the river") via the Dutch
family name van Coevorden ("a person
from Coevorden"). The place names are derived from the family name,
being named after people with that family name.

Geography

Vancouver is located on a peninsula on the West Coast of Canada, less than a one hour drive north of the Canada-U.S. border.
Between Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean to the west is a large island called Vancouver Island. Until the city was named in 1885, "Vancouver" referred to Vancouver Island. Some people mistakenly think that the city is located on Vancouver Island.
On the south shore of Vancouver is the Fraser River, which flows west into the Strait of Georgia. The water along the north shore is Burrard Inlet.
The city has an area of 114 square kilometres (44 sq mi). The larger metropolitan area is 2,878 square kilometres (1,111 sq mi).
As with most of British Columbia, Vancouver is in the Pacific Time Zone (UTC−8).

Climate

The average annual rainfall is 1155 mm, mostly from October to April. High temperatures in the summer average 22° C. The highest temperature ever recorded was 34.4° C on July 30, 2009. On average, snow falls on only 11 days per year. The snow is usually wet, not very deep, and melts in the rain. On average, on only 4.5 days a year does the temperature not rise above freezing.

Vancouver Climatological Data

Temperature

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Record high

°C(°F)

15.3(60)

18.4(65)

19.4(67)

25.0(77)

30.4(87)

30.6(87)

34.4(94)

33.3(92)

29.3(85)

23.7(75)

18.4(65)

14.9(59)

34.4(94)

Average high

°C(°F)

6.1(43)

8.0(46)

10.1(50)

13.1(56)

16.5(62)

19.2(67)

21.7(71)

21.9(71)

18.7(66)

13.5(56)

9.0(48)

6.2(43)

13.7(57)

Mean

°C(°F)

3.3(38)

4.8(41)

6.6(44)

9.2(49)

12.5(55)

15.2(59)

17.5(64)

17.6(64)

14.6(58)

10.1(50)

6.0(43)

3.5(38)

10.1(50)

Average low

°C(°F)

0.5(33)

1.5(35)

3.1(38)

5.3(42)

8.4(47)

11.2(53)

13.2(56)

13.4(56)

10.5(51)

6.6(44)

3.1(38)

0.8(33)

6.5(44)

Record low

°C(°F)

-17.8(-0)

-16.1(3)

-9.4(15)

-3.3(26)

0.6(33)

3.9(39)

6.7(43)

6.1(44)

0(32)

-5.9(21)

-14.3(6)

-17.8(-0)

-17.8(-0)

Average Precipitation and Sunshine Hours

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

TotalPrecipitation

mm(in)

153.6(6.1)

123.1(4.9)

114.3(4.5)

84(3.3)

67.9(2.7)

54.8(2.2)

39.6(1.6)

39.1(1.5)

53.5(2.1)

112.6(4.4)

181(7.1)

175.7(6.9)

1199(47)

Rainfall

mm(in)

139.1(5.5)

113.8(4.5)

111.8(4.4)

83.5(3.3)

67.9(2.7)

54.8(2.2)

39.6(1.6)

39.1(1.5)

53.5(2.1)

112.5(4.4)

178.5(7.0)

160.6(6.3)

1154.7(45.5)

Snowfall

cm(in)

16.6(6.5)

9.6(3.8)

2.6(1)

0.4(0.2)

0

0

0

0

0

0.1(0)

2.5(1)

16.3(6.4)

48.2(19)

Sunshine

hours

60

85

134

182

231

229

295

268

199

125

64

56

1928

Data recorded at Vancouver International Airport by Environment Canada. Data spans 1971 to 2000.